BHS Day 27: American Negro Theater

Hi! Even though I struggle to fill this category with entrants because I want to provide variety, it's so exciting to learn about entertainers and innovators of times gone by. Unfortunately, because things were so segregated at the turn of the century, Blacks often had to create counterparts of White professional organizations for themselves, which I imagine to be both fun and daunting. These companies provided the people involved with a foundation, a starting point and support base, for their careers. After their demise, which came through either struggle or desegregation (ending the need for a separate organization), many of these organizations become pioneers for future generations. Here is one of the Black community's theater pioneers.  

Name: American Negro Theater

Founders and date of establishment: 1937 by Frederick O'Neal and Abram Hill 

Purpose of organization: "To break down the barriers of Negro participation in the theater, to portray Negro life as they honestly saw it, and to fill the gap of a Negro theater which did not exist."

Why is the Spotlight on it today? For its contributions to the entertainment industry and its role as a pioneer and stepping stone for many Black talents

Notables and accomplishments:
--Includes Lena Horne, Ruby Dee, Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier among the graduates of its Studio Theater --Was based off of Harlem's Federal Theatre Project, which was the source behind a 30-page constitution of its morals and ideals
--Produced 12 original plays and 22 overall --Was the first Black theater organization to create and put out a weekly radio show --Had the acronym "ANT," which was intentional as the creators felt it reflected the hardworking natures of those involved --Provided a foundation to aspiring Black actors and talents in the entertainment industry as there was no other resource at the time due to segregation
--Maintained a community theater feel, with contributions from everyone involved
--The most successful play in the Theater's history, Anna Lucasta, was a commercial success and ran nearly 1000 shows on Broadway before going abroad --Produced opera-based works on Sundays during the time they were creating the weekly radio show
--Began to decline after Anna Lucasta's success due to TPTB deciding to move forward in a direction that conflicted with the theater's mission and focus; rather than maintaining the community feel and using plays written by Black playwrights, they began publishing plays by White playwrights who were already established
Research resources and further reading links: BlackPast | Wikipedia | AA Registry | WNYC | Encyclopedia

Quote of the Day:
"There was a great social revolution underway, the plays of protest, the plays of social meaning, and this was the kind of theater we were trying to develop. We were trying to say something. We were trying to say it within the black media, with the rhythm and quality of excitement."
--Lofton Mitchell on ANT